PU hefty budget for admin | PPSC discrimination

Punjab University teachers question hefty amounts for admin sections
Lahore, Mar 18: The Punjab University's newly-elected Academic Staff Association
(ASA), expressing concern over various administrative measures, has questioned
the bounty of million of rupees being offered to different sections of the
university administration.

The issue was raised during a PUASA executive
body meeting held recently while a resolution was also passed in this regard,
demanding the university administration to immediately stop distribution of the
bounty.

According to resolution of the meeting, copies of which were
distributed among the faculty on Monday and Tuesday, the PUASA demanded the
vice-chancellor that the bounty worth millions of rupees, being bestowed upon
different sections of the administration out of self-supporting savings, be
stopped immediately as the same was being distributed among the treasurer's
office, the registrar's office and audit office without any cogent
justification.

"The executive body also resolved that true accounts of
the bounty be rendered before the community from 2005 to date," the copy
reads.

The PUASA also forwarded a demand that the facilities over and
above the entitlement of the university treasurer be checked, claiming that the
said officer was enjoying facilities and amenities even not available to
professors serving in BPS-21.

The sources alleged that the treasurer was
given a 1,300cc car while an official Toyota van was being used by him for
domestic purposes.

The association also expressed concerns over
reluctance of the authorities to ensure implementation of teachers' legitimate
demand of "One Man, One Post."

"It is not only a demand of the PUASA but
a decision of the syndicate as well," the resolution reads, adding that "such
reluctance had paved the way for dissatisfaction and frustration among different
factions of the teaching community."

Quoting examples, a member of the
PUASA, on condition of anonymity, said Prof Dr Javaid Ahmad was holding two
different offices as he was the dean of the Faculty of Engineering and
Technology as well as principal of university's College of Engineering and
Emerging Technologies. Similarly, the PUASA member added, Prof Dr M Jamshaid was
the dean Faculty of Pharmacy as well as the principal of the College of
Pharmacy.

Another concern highlighted by the PU faculty members was
about hindrances in vertical mobility of different cadres in the teachers'
promotion cases for the posts of professors and associate
professors.

"This needs particular attention in case of the University
Law College and the Institute of Education and Research as inordinate delay has
been observed in these by the university administration," the PUASA resolution
reads, adding: "It is therefore demanded that all cases of promotion be
processed transparently and promptly so that frustration caused thereby be
eliminated and teachers may concentrate on their primary duty of teaching and
research."

The PUASA demanded that maximum number of eligible teachers
be accommodated in various committees, saying senior most members should head
the committees.

The association also expressed concerns over the
interference of student "culprits" in teachers' affairs maintaining that it was
growing day by day.

"It is demanded that such culprits and their patrons
be brought to book and administration should establish its writ so that a sense
of security be evident on campus," the resolution reads.

PU Treasurer Amjad Saleemi said bills of some teachers were pending with
his office which could not be cleared because of legal implications, alleging
that the same teachers were propagating baseless material against him and his
office.

To a question, he said the treasurer was entitled to have an
official vehicle.

PU Registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan said the
university's syndicate as well as finance and planning committee had allowed
offices of registrar, treasurer and audit to receive remuneration for evening
shift programmes and self-supporting programmes, etc as the staff had to work
after the office hours.

"It is not consistence and regular," he said,
adding: "A meager amount is received by those who perform duties."

To a
question, Dr Khan said a BPS-17 officer received around Rs1,200 per month under
this head, adding that receiving million of rupees for this service was out of
question.

Talking about the PUASA resolution, he said: "We do honour
suggestions of our teachers."

He said teachers had been demanding
implementation of "One Man One Post" decision, adding that it was only because
of this step that Dr Mugheesuddin Sheikh, who was Dean Faculty of Behavioural
and Social Sciences and Director of Institute of Communication Studies (ICS),
was relieved from directorship of the institute on Tuesday. The News

PU bags top five spots at Olympiad Moot Court
Lahore: Three teams from the Punjab University (PU) Law College
set a new record by clinching the top 5 positions at the Lahore University of
Management Sciences (LUMS) Olympiad Law Moot Court 2009.

PU Law College
Principal Shazia Qureshi told the media on Tuesday that the teams were led by
Hassan Sajjad Naqvi, a 7th semester LLB (Hons) student. The team securing the
1st position consisted of Zainab Ranjha, Abeer Javaid, Sana Waheed and Danish
Maqsood.

The PU principal, Law Moot Society in charge, Farooq Umair Niazi
and Additional District and Sessions Judge, Chaudhary Ijaz coached and
supervised the teams.

PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Kamran Mujahid
congratulated the students for bagging the top 5 positions in the Law Moot Court
from a prestigious university of the private sector, which speaks of the high
standard of education at PU and the talent of the students.

The
meeting offered 'fateha' for the departed soul of former PU Oriental College
principal and Government College University (GCU) Arts Department dean Prof
Sohail Ahmad Khan, and paid homage to his academic and teaching
services.

On another note, Mujahid directed the 'Book Fair 2009'
sub-committee conveners to hold a meeting and help the administration in
organising the fair. He instructed them to ensure full participation of the
students in the committees. The PU would organise the book fair next
month.

Meanwhile, a PU spokesman said the Pakistan government had awarded
three PU faculty members with the 'Seerat Award'. App

According to
an ICS press release, Naz has been associated with the PU for the last 20 years,
while he has been linked to the ICS for the last 16 years. Naz had also been the
PU Public Relations Department head. He was awarded a PhD for conducting
research on the 'Role of Progressive Movement in Pakistani Journalism' in 2000
and completed his post-doctorate from Germany in 2007.

Naz has authored
five books on journalism while 15 of his research papers have appeared in
different international research journals. He contributes a regular column on
different social issues in different newspapers.

PU Behavioural Sciences
Dean Dr Mugheesud Din Sheikh congratulated Naz over his appointment as ICS
director. Sheikh was of the view that Naz would steer the department clear of
the future challenges by merging the most important segment of the social
sciences.

Naz appreciated Sheikh's contribution in developing the ICS as
a true seat of learning of an international standard. Naz hoped that Sheikh
would continue to contribute in the development of this institution. Daily Times

CPSP to send first batch of fellows to Saudi Arabia
Lahore: The College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) will
send its first batch of 24 fellows to Saudi Arabia on Saturday, according to
CPSP council principal Prof Zafarullah Chaudhry.

The move follows the
signing of a memorandum of understanding with King Faisal Medical City Riyadh
last year. The delegation, which will depart from Karachi, consists of some who
have completed their Fellowship of College Physicians and Surgeons (FCPS) Part-I
and others who have already completed a fellowship in one specialty and would
like to do another. Each fellowship requires 4-7 years of training.

The
salaries for the two batches are 10,000 Saudi riyals (about Rs214,000) per month
and 20,000 Saudi riyals (Rs418,000) per month, respectively, which will be paid
by the Saudi government.

CPSP spokesman Nasir Khan said the college was
making continuous moves for mobilising stronger relations with other countries
like the United States, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Nepal, Bangladesh and others.

He said representatives of King Faisal Medical City had chosen Pakistani
doctors over their Indian and Sri Lankan counterparts because the latter did not
have Western accredited fellowships, whereas fellowships from CPSP were
accredited in the UK, Canada, Ireland and Australia. Ten thousand doctors appear
in FCPS-1 each year. Dawn

Your Comments
"I did my fellowship in Medicine & Allied in April 2008 nd came 2 Riyadh,Saudia on Jun08.I ve applied in almost every hospital of Riyadh and e mailed many times to CPSP regarding this issue but no response at all and I m jobless till date .Kindly let me know how should those fellows who come 2 Saudia after doing their fellowship proceed their career in Saudia. Mamoona Sultan. "
Name: Mamoona Sultan
Email: maynababa@yahoo.com
City, Country: RIYADH,SAUDIA

PPSC female students discrimination
Lahore: The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has announced jobs for the post
of District Wildlife Officers for appointment in the Department of Wildlife,
Forestry and Fisheries, Government of the Punjab. The problem is that the right
of job has been reserved only for men. Despite doing well in higher education,
women are being deprived of government jobs like this without any sound reason.
It is tantamount to discrimination against female population of the country.

Although the strength of female students is much more than the number of
male students in virtually all universities of Pakistan as far as the courses of
MSc Zoology are concerned, they are being ignored in jobs by the government. I
request the authorities concerned to kindly provide equal opportunities to men
and women and also allow the female candidates to apply for the posts of
District Wildlife Officers in the Department of Wildlife, Forestry and
Fisheries, Government of the Punjab. -FEHMEEDA BIBI, Lahore, via e-mail (The Nation)